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Monday, April 30, 2012

The Ins and Outs of Pattern Sales

A quick question for you today, readers. How do you buy your "Big Four" patterns? And what do you expect to pay for them?

Of course, no one ever pays full price for a pattern--I was trying to explain this to a friend the other day and realized how strange the whole system is. And some people seem to understand the sale schedule with a special sixth sense. When I wrote about the recent Vintage Vogue release and sale (which was ending that night), several people commented to alert me that there was a pattern sale at Joann's coming up, along with precise details about dates and prices. Okay, people: HOW DID YOU KNOW THIS. Is there some special underground communication system about upcoming pattern sales? Or is it painfully obvious and I just don't get it? Is it in the newsletter? Because I signed up (twice!) and never get anything. Jo-Ann, I want your junk mail. Please.

Because now that I live near a Jo-Ann, I want to be one of those people who's on those 99 cent sales like a hawk. That's right: I want to be waiting in the parking lot that morning so my size doesn't sell out. (Okay, maybe not. I value my beauty sleep too much.)

Also, is there a way to find out in advance about the online sales? Come on, friends. Share your secrets! My Googling ended up in vain, so I'm hoping this page can become an information hub for other clueless people like myself.

P.S. Does anyone here frequent the Poughkeepsie Jo-Ann? Maybe I'll see you at the pattern table!

P.P.S. Thank you for your overwhelming response to my post about pre-ordering my book. I'm grateful to say I was the #1 bestseller in Crafts for a day or two! Thank you so much for your support, readers.

139 comments:

Oh thank you so much for this post! I will be keeping a close eye on the responses because I'm dying to know this also!Simplicities and Buttericks seem to go on sale more often, because I'm always fully stocked on those. There is a sad lack of Vogue in my collection though, because I always miss the sale on them :(

I too, had signed up for their coupons and flyers a few times online and at the store, with no luck! One day my boyfriend surprised me , and just downloaded the Joann's app on my phone. Now I have all the coupons WITH me when I go. I'm pretty sure they have your local sale flyer on the app, too.

They release and send out biweekly ads. You just sign up for them but then you also have to have your name bar scanned to keep getting them. The ads are sent out for future sales. There is also a Joann's app that you can download coupons that are different from the ones in the Paper ads.

I don't see the pattern mailer in my app, but you can look at the mailer online. The newsletter usually only shows the online sales, which are different than the ones in the store. My problem (in a small town) is more likely to be that the newest patterns haven't arrived at my store yet (and I think this has been a worse problem at Hancock's than Joann's).

Oh Gee, as much as I hate the whole JoAnn system that has brought down every little fabric store in the universe, much like Walmart, I will agree that this is the place to get your patterns discount, To get their emails: sign up at the bottom of this page (http://www.joann.com/)To get Weekly sales flyer online (http://joann.shoplocal.com/joannsalesflyer/)Also sign up in their store for the hardcopy by mail.I have to note that when I go to these sales, it's like all the BEST PATTERNS are GONE!!!(p.s. muslin on the bolts at 50% off is great too)

1. You need the weekly sales flyer. Go to the bottom of the JoAnn webpage and there's a link to them. You'll have to put in your zip to get the right flyer.

2. JoAnn and Hancocks alternate their $0.99 pattern sales (or sometimes 5/$5). You won't (at least I've never seen it) get Simplicity patterns on sale in both stores at the same time, etc.

3. Vogue patterns go on sale for $3.99.

4. Stock up on them when they're on sale and shop out of your home stock when you're looking for something. I have a stupid number of patterns, but they didn't cost that much to buy, so I don't that feel bad. Just kind of bad, like they should do a sewing episode of hoarders or something to make me feel better. I'm sure other people are way worse. Surely.

5. I only buy big four patterns now. Well, I recently bought a sewaholic pattern since I enjoy her blog so much I figured I owed it to her. Otherwise, near every other premium pattern has a big four counterpart in a less flattering envelope.

6. I do buy books with patterns included in the back (wink). Built by Wendy books have been quite handy.

I have no idea how many times I had to sign up for Jo-Ann flyers before they finally started appearing in my mailbox, but eventually it worked. Signing up on their website should at least get you the email/web promos (which correspond with the in-store sales.) Once you do get a paper flyer in the mail make sure to at least bring it into the store so they can scan your bar code even if you're not going to use the coupons. That ensures you'll stay on their list.

The current flyer covers thru May 5th. Unfortunately the last big pattern sale ended on Saturday, 4/28. We should be getting the new flyer in the mail any day now. I'll try to remember to post which patterns will be on sale and when as soon it arrives.

My mom still gets my Jo-Ann's flyer, since I moved. What you have to do is check online once a week - say, every Sunday. There is always 1 pattern sale - usually 2 - every month, but not every brand goes on sale each month. Simplicity is always $2/pattern. Butterick and McCalls usually vary between $1 - 2 a pattern. Vogue is always $4/pattern. Burda and New Look never go on sale.

Honestly, it's a game. It sucks because when you have the urge to make something, the pattern might have JUST gone off sale. So I usually go and stock up on cute patterns once a month - usually the Simplicity and Vogue sales. Those actually are the most rare sales, in my opinion. :)

Jo-Ann pattern sales are the best! I keep a running list of patterns I'm interested in so I can go straight to the pattern cabinets on sale day. The catalogs in the store are not always current so I select my patterns from pattern company websites.I get JoAnn mailers, but I highly recommend the JoAnn app for additional coupons.

I'm a fellow Beaconite and I frequent the Jo-Ann store in Poughkeepsie, though I'm not always satisfied with their selection or prices. I'm still on the hunt for a local spot that has a considerable stash of vintage fabric, but no luck yet.

Hahaha I *always* buy my patterns at the Joann's sales! And yeah, it can be difficult to get on the mailing list - not sure why, but it took me a few tries before I started getting the flyers. A word of advice - once you start getting the flyers, make sure you get the bar code scanned when you use your coupons or they'll take you off the list!

If you visit Joann's website & check the current sales flyer, you can view the flyer & see what patterns are on sale (current or upcoming). Also consider signing up for their email list - you won't get notifications on pattern sales, but you will get some sweet coupons :)

I rely on sewing.patternreview.com for this. There is a thread on the message boards that is constantly updated with upcoming sale info. These ladies must have insider information because they always list the sales before I would have seen it in a flyer. It gives me a lot of time to plan which patterns I want to pick up!

I do get the flyer in the mail. But I do check the flyers out on line too, especially if I want to see what patterns are going on sale because they are usually a special sale located within the flyer. I would stop at the desk and let the store ko you have signed up and not received your mailer, once you do be sure to have them scan the coupons or flyer because if you don't use them for a certain period of time they will stop mailing you the flyer. Also if you are a ASG member you get a 10% off card too.

I get the Joann weekly sales flyers now and there's usually a small colored box near the bottom of a random page that says "McCalls Pattern Sale, $1.99 ea. 4/12 - 4/18" or something similar. It's never a huge announcement splashed across the cover or anything. And usually if I Google search "joann pattern sale" and filter to the most recent results, someone's blog will have mentioned it so I know what's going on.

I've also ordered from SewingPatterns.com which always has Big 4 sales that I'm alerted to from e-mail. It's not as often that they get as cheap as $0.99 but it's still a good way to save money if you don't want to travel to JoAnn. Right now their Simplicity patterns are $2.99 and McCalls are $5.99 each.

Small plug for Vogue Fabrics where I don't work and the pattern sales NEVER happen (contractually they can't or something like that. I've asked). Anyhow, you can use your 10 percent discount on your student card (if you happen to take classes there) on any of independent pattern companies. Some nice patterns there...but I honestly don't own that many when the big FOUR have such great sales.

Haven't had time today to read all the comments so forgive me if this repeats...

I keep a running list of patterns that I want to buy on my phone (I use Evernote). I also look at the JoAnn's flyer when it comes in the mail and put the sale days on my phone's calendar. I then put the flyer in the car so I have it in case I need the coupons! Don't forget to have them scan it so you will stay on the mailing list!

Maybe I shouldn't divulge my secret, but sometimes I go to Joanns the day before the sale to scope out the patterns I want and sometimes I might 'accidentally' put them back in the wrong place. I pray for forgiveness.

If you are a member of the American Sewing Guild, you will automatically receive the discount card for Jo Ann's and be signed up to receive the mailer at home. The discount card will get you 10% off regular-priced items and sale items. There are exclusions to this, patterns being one of them. But, when muslin goes on sale for 50% off, you can get an additional 10% off.

I just last night grew tired of my patterns NEVER being in stock at Hancocks (which is a 45 min drive from me). The nearest JoAnn's is now over an hour from me. So I signed up for ClubBMV. I was ordering a mini backpack pattern, a sundress, and a vogue pattern (none of which were in my hancocks) and the total was $38 but if I added the $15 year membership my entire total was $34.... LOL so yeah. I added it. I'm sure I'll get alot of use out of it because I'm a pattern hoarder too!

It took me a few times of signing up before I actually received anything (and I went online and in store to sign up) the stuff finally came! But yes, it is the "junk mail" that lists that advance sales of patterns and such - plus coupons!

Two comments, neither one especially useful:#1 - I try to follow the dates on the Joann's flyer, but I get confused, apparently. Many times I've shown up at the store with a shopping list of Vogues, only to find that the sale isn't until the following week.#2 - I have noticed that my local Joann's does not keep up with the current catalog. I can never find the new patterns that I've seen on the BMV website in the store. Must be a several-month delay.

I have such a love-hate affair with the local JoAnn fabrics store right now. Many times they don't stock up on the patterns before the sale, and their new shipment won't arrive until after the sale is over (and of course, they won't offer rainchecks on the patterns you want). I had heard someone mention that it's a good idea to try to make friends with one of the workers so you can get tipped and perhaps have your patterns set aside for the sales... but that sounds quite mercenary to me :( So I troll the store and see what I can score. (and it also seems to be store specific. The one closest to me is lousy with selection, but if I go to the superstore that's about a half-hour away then I can get more of the patterns I want).

I don't have a Joann's but I do have a Hancock's and they are pretty similar, I get the sales flyer from Hancock but you can also view the flyer online. So maybe Joann's has their flyer online too.It's really pretty silly that the big four even put those super high price tags on their patterns in the first place. Even if they cut them in half they'd be closer to independent pattern companies.

I live in Canada, we don’t have this utopia known as Jo-Anns, so I use the BMV Club sales all the time, order my patterns online, and never pay full price for these types of patterns. I have to say though, I like to support the independent pattern maker, and for that reason, I have paid up to $19 for a Colette Pattern and other such producers. For the most part though, it’s $3.99 sale at BMV.

I get the JoAnn fliers in the mail and that's how I keep up with the sales. There's not much of a demand for vintage reprints in my area so I don't have a problem getting my size. I usually pick up one or two when they are on sale.

You can also check out your local fliers online. I live near a state line, so I sometimes check the fliers from across the boarder because they have different sales.

I'm so freakin jealous of all you suburbanites! I live in Brooklyn so I have to order online from the big four. I would love to be able to avoid the shipping costs buy going to a JoAnns (and score a cheap bolt of muslin!). I'm a club BMV member and whenever those online sales hit I usually buy around 10 patterns. I've been on a pattern buying jag lately because I'm trying to avoid being a fabric hoarder and I want to make a bunch of dresses this summer.

Everybody has already stated all the important information. I, too, keep a running list of what patterns I am wanting so that I can go in and go straight to the pattern drawers and not bother with the catalogues.

One poster commented that she has been mistaken on dates, and I've made that mistake, too. The mailer covers a few week span and some of the sales might be a full week long, but the patterns are never on sale that long, so pay extra attention to dates within dates so you don't have a wasted trip.

It will usually list all of the upcoming JoAnn sales as well as sales at Hobby Lobby or when bmv has a sale on their website. I'm lazy, so this is easier for me than going through the Joann newsletters and mailers.

I have a JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, Micheal's and Hancock's very close to where I live, Also a High Fashion Fabric in Downtown Houston which is FABULOUS! IT IS THREE STORIES! Anyhoo...you mostly watch the regional paper flyers that come in the mail, if you aren't getting them,call your local store and ask if they send them to your area. My stores have the flyers in store and if you ask for one they keep extra's behind the counter. I also have the App's for each store for additional coupons. JoAnn's and Hancocks run these pattern sales alternating the pattern companies about every 3 months with a limit of 10 patterns per purchase. Hobby Lobby runs these sales every 2 months as well and you can buy them online if your region is having a sale on them. Micheal's sadly no longer carries fabric or patterns here and I am HUGELY disappointed since Micheal's tends to be better priced on all of their items.

This is how to do it: sign up online - works better than in the store. When you get your flyer in the mail take it with you to the shop once in a while so the bar code gets scanned. This will keep you on the mailing list. Then download the app on your phone. Also sign-up for email. This way you will know when the pattern sales are coming up but also you will be able to use multiple coupons when you shop. Dont forget the store flyer - more coupons. As long as the coupons have different bar code numbers, they will work. Also remember that Jo-Anns will take coupons from Michael's and Hancock's. It is a bit of work but, when you can use several 50% off coupons in one go, it's worth it! And finally, if you are a member of the ASG, that's another 10% off.......

Wait... Some JoAnn's actually stock the new patterns during the pattern sales that always happen after the new release?! I thought they went on sale just to torture us. Sometimes a second pattern sale rolls around a month later, and they still aren't at my store. I live in a big city too.

I buy all the Big 4 patterns at either JoAnn's, Hancocks or Hobby Lobby because it's cheaper than buying them online. Hancock's does Burdas for 2.49 about every 6 months as well. Mostly I shop at JoAnn's, if only for the stoned cashier who gets genuinely excited about how much money my receipt says I've "saved". "Woooow! You saved... $267 dollars!" No. No I didn't.

Also, it took 2 years of signing up for flyers every time I was in the store before I started getting them. Now I can't move, or I'll lose my coupons!

One last note... they alternate between $1.99 and $.99 sales for Simplicity, McCall's and Butterick, so just hold out for the $.99 sales unless you're itching to make something right away.

JoAnn's didn't have the new patterns out for their Saturday sale in my neck of the woods. I was treated to a lecture about how if the pattern I want isn't in the catalog (on the table), it won't be in the cabinet. I asked if it's possible they haven't unpacked them yet, would they check in the back? No, because clearly I don't understand how the catalog works.

I worked at a weary old-school Jo-Ann store part time about ten years ago, and it did seem to take a while for customers to receive their fliers in the mail. Lately I have been going to their web site first to check the flier, then hope I get one in the mail. Most of the time you don't need your own flier to take advantage of pattern sales, so that's handy. Just keep an eye out at "joann dot com" and you'll be in the know!

P.S. I should say you can't apply further discount coupons to patterns (since they are always at least a certain percentage off list price anyway) but those coupons are great for everything else. JoAnn also does a great thread sale pretty regularly (40% or 50% off)!

For JA pattern sales, I rely mostly on the ad that comes in the mail. I mark it on my calendar and wait patiently. When new patterns are released, I rarely go to the store to buy them because (a) they're likely not going to be there, and (b) other people will be there doing the same thing. I've wasted too much time and gas driving back and forth to the store looking for one or two patterns that I don't even need! So, I wait two or three sale cycles before I venture out.

In addition to pattern sales, be on the lookout for sales on lining at JA. On Saturday 28 Apr only, all linings were on sale at 50% off - including Ambiance Bemberg. If you have an extra coupon, that's an even larger discount.

I'm under the impression that the big sales happen just prior to a pattern 'discard', which each of the pattern companies do four times a year ( at least they used to)to make room for the new styles. When you look in the pattern drawer and see the divider turned with the red edge up, that one is slated for removal from the catalog. The .99 sale is a good way for stores to sell as many as they can before they go away. Though, some of the patterns slated to be discarded actually just get an updated photo and new price. It's a funny thing I learned working for a large independent fabric store several years ago.

It took me emailing the website to complain to get on their mailing list. I'd asked for it both in store and online several times for months before I realized that emailing the contact number was the way to go. Now I get all of them! And, well, they also put all the sales fliers on their website when they come out, so you can spend a few minutes checking there.

I get sale flyers from Joann's and Hancocks in the mail about two to three times a month. They list the dates and which patterns will be on sale for what amount. When I see the limit ten get them for a buck sales. I am planning my schedule to go at least two of the three days.

I like to have a large variety of things on hand for whatever comes along.

I am Canadian and we don't have JoAnne's here. Fabricville is the big chain in Quebec and they have decent sales periodically but I mostly buy from BMV. Their sales are frequent and I learn about them from the newsletter. Now, what about Simplicity? Their last pattern sale was only $9.99 online! Compared to the $2.99 sale at BMV I think this is a little crazy.

It takes *forever* for their coupons and flyers to get to me when I've moved and changed addresses. :/ Have you tried signing up in-store? If I'm missing a flyer I usually just check their online version for an idea of when patterns are going on sale. ;) The flyers usually cover a few weeks at a time, so it's easy to plan that out!

These people have the dirt--follow their advice. In addition, I keep a notebook in my handbag AT ALL TIMES that includes style numbers I like or would be willing to try at the right price. I haven't gone so far as to create a rating system to determine which I looooove and which I'm only curious about, but the day isn't over yet.

I've worked for Jo-Ann for a few years now, and the mailer thing is a huge annoyance. We send out the sign-ups we get once a week and it can take a month or two before you get anything. And then you have to make sure you use your coupon or get your mailer scanned to stay on the list. I wish we had some sort of store card instead. We generally do a new sale every two weeks, with smaller, shorter sales that overlap. These small ones are usually when the patterns go on sale, and they alternate. I would say each of the big four goes on sale about every 4 to 6 weeks, sometimes even more often. Unless you MUST have a pattern, I would just wait it out. It will go on sale eventually. If you go and your size is sold out, just buy a different size and exchange it later once they are restocked. We do price matching for identical items as well, just bring the ad for the other store.

As others have said the Joann app is nice - always have coupon with me! I keep a running list of patterns on my Wish List in my Sewing Kit app - my own catalog of patterns, fabric, & measurements (a little buggy but nearly ecential to me with 200+ patterns)

You can always take your ad to WalMart or Hancock if your Jo-Ann is out of stock of a particular pattern on sale. Jo-Ann also matches Hancock's ad. So if you are lucky enough to have all the stores in your area, you should be able to still get the pattern from one of the stores by price matching.

You have to sign up several times for their junk mail before you actually get it. I think it took me 3 tries. This is where you get the info and the preview sale emails. Or the app for your smart phone, if you have one of those, is supposed to be pretty awesome.

Alright, alright, I'll divulge my secret. Go to Joann's website and scroll to the very bottom. There you will find a list that says "shop", under that there is a link that says weekly sales flyer. Click that and you'll be able to browse through everything they've sent out with just the click of a mouse! Viola!

Thank you for this post! I have such a hard time figuring how JoAnn's works their coupons/sales. Thank you, JoAnn's for posting the info about upcoming sales. Need some patterns! Downloading apps today!

As "anonymous" said,Joannes will also honor Hancocks,Hobby Lobby etc sale prices and I've been told their coupons. Just keep filling out those customer cards every time you go in,it will eventually pay off.

I live in Canada. We don't have any of these stores or sales. There is one fabric store in town (Fabricland) but they've rearranged the pattern cabinets so that customers cannot access the patterns themselves. Customers are pretty much forced to pay for an annual membership because everything has a regular price and a member price.

Burda patterns were also on sale at Joanns a couple of times last year. The flier seems to be the only way to find out - sometimes there are not even labels up in the store during sales. It has had a huge impact on the number of patterns I buy though, most of which remain sadly unused. When I lived in the UK all our patterns were full price. I had very few but those were used over and over and I got very good at pattern modification. Anyway, I don't need pattern sales at the moment- I'm looking forward to getting 19 great new patterns come September at a very reasonable price! and probably with excellent instructions too, a great bargain.

it seems to me that patterns are on sale every week (alternating between vogue, butterick and mccalls). I rarely buy patterns from Simplicity because the deals aren't usually as good as the other three and I can usually find a similar (if not the same). I definitely know all except simplicity have a sale a month for 3 days online (how I buy 90% of my patterns). I just wait for one to announce via email then stalk the other two (enamored with Vogue).

I, too, get the JoAnn's biweekly ads in the the mail. The pattern sales are great, but it is hard to find the ones I want in stock. The pattern sales are usually just for a weekend or so and they ad for the sale is usually very small on the JoAnn's flyer. Sometimes there are different patterns on sale at different times during the two weeks, so you really have to look through the ads to be sure you find it all. I have a friend who doesn't get the ads, so I just email her the pattern sale dates and prices when they come.

I've signed up for JoAnn's flyers too and haven't received any either. I agree with other posters that finding Simplicity patterns on sale is so much harder than for the BMV patterns. Recently though I found a site - sewingpatterns.com - that is selling the new releases for $2.99, until tomorrow anyway. I've bought from them before, and they seem reputable.

The app and email alerts is what does it for me. I create my own patterns as well (for American Girl dolls) and it seems that some people kind of almost expect my patterns to be that kind of low cost. The cost of patterns is so interesting. I am a pattern-hound and always have been. Darn I wish I had all my mom's old patterns from the 70s. They were wild looking!Shameless PLUG for Dollhouse DESIGNShttp://pinterest.com/rsadams68/http://www.craftsy.com/user/pattern/store/573030

I don't live close to a JoAnn's. My walmart cut fabrics for several years and recently put it back after so many complaints.I usually buy patterns on line.I have a huge collection and actually do use many of my patterns. I often need to remind myself there is really nothing new under the sun. If I look at the simple line drawings on the patterns I already own....I probably don't need that new one.When I do buy patterns, I try to look at those line drawings to see what will benefit me most immediately and in the future.Sometimes, for kicks, I will buy a pattern lot from EBay or shopgoodwill.com. Great fun. You find things you remember your mom having!Good luck Gertie. Maybe you can compose a simple list of everyone's great ideas for the super sale find and share it. I had fun reading everyone's tactics!

I buy my patterns from the sales at Joann, mostly. I find out about sales from the Joann flyers - either in the paper, the direct mail, or by checking online (from the Joann website you can enter your zip code and browse your local ads). You can sign up to get the direct mail or e-mail versions online (create account, enter your info) - but I've found that the best Joann flyer is the one that comes in the newspaper (you have to buy a paper or type in your zip code at the Joann website).

Even if you don't get the flyers (they have a separate sign up for online than they do for physical mailers, I believe) you can go to www.joann.com and look at the current sales flyers. That's usually what I end up doing when I forget my mailer at home.

I also get emailed coupons and use their app. I check out the flyers for Hancock Fabrics as well, since I have one of those nearby, too. I enter the dates of the sales and the cost of each pattern type into my Google Calendar so I don't forget when the sale is (so easy to forget!).

I try not to spend more than a buck (sometimes $1.50 or $.99, ya know, whatever) for Butterick, McCall's or Simplicity, and Vogue are never lower than $3.99.

Ok. Ready, here's my secret underground code. I'm a BMV Subscription holder. Today is the last day for a 3 day sale, all patterns 3.94 on the site. A one year subscription is $15 bucks and it pays for itself in one order. I usually order 10-15 patterns, cause that is the mex that can be shipped for the cheapest price. Seriously, Vogue patterns for 3.95, I do the happy dance very time we get this sale notice. It happens 4 times a year. But there are also other sales, sometimes I get patterns as low as 1.99. The site carries McCalls, Butterricks, Kwik and Vogue. Kwik just got added this year and they have some cool options like patterns that you sew on a serge. Happy shopping! krista aka rogu e from SewWeekly.

Ninety-nine cents/pattern! Are you kidding? Wow! Here in Winnipeg fewer and fewer places are carrying patterns. I can't find Kwik patterns in a store anymore. And the cheapest I can pick up a Vogue pattern on the spot is at 50% off with a Fabricland membership which works out to be just under $20/pattern. That's why I shop online via the BMV website, I can pick up Vogue patterns for $3.99 plus shipping and taxes, it works out to just under $6.00/pattern. The only downside is waiting 6 weeks for the patterns to get here.

Go to the JoAnn Website and there will be the weekly ad and also the direct mail flyer. I personally log on every Sunday and check what is coming up for the next couple of weeks for the pattern sale. I will say that other than patterns, I RARELY shop at JoAnns. Hobby Lobby carries Simplicity and McCalls so I get Burda, Vogue and Butterick at JA.

The reason I do the website is that I kept dropping off the mailing list They seem to keep that updated and if you don't go in there at least once a month, you are dropped off the list. So, I just have made a habit of checking the website. You don't need a coupon for their pattern sales and that works for me.

This is something I was just talking to my husband about (boring him about is more accurate!) JoAnn seems to have patterns on sale ALL the time. Every month I look through the flyer (I get them in the mail) to see what company will be on sale, because there's always at least one, maybe two or three. So that’s where I get most of my Big-4 patterns, although I quite like thrift stores as well if I’m not looking for something specific and/or new. Those 99-cent sales were my first experience buying patterns a few years ago. Later finding independent companies asking for so much more money was a huge surprise!

I was talking to the owner of a local fabric store a few months ago, and she mentioned those pattern sales. She was saying that a big chunk of her profit comes from patterns, because the mark-up on fabrics just isn't that high most of the time. I almost don't want to support JoAnn by buying those patterns, now. It's part of that whole "Fox Books" idea where a big company pushes out all the smaller local companies because they have the most buying power, etc etc. I don't want to be all crazy about it, but I AM disappointed in the lack of local fabric resources. I know it's something you've talked a bit about on here before, and it's just becoming more apparent to me the more I sew. I don't want to knock JoAnn too much because I do shop there often. But they've driven away so much of the (healthy) competition because they can offer cheap, cheap things, including patterns. I don't mind paying more to support smaller companies (for a variety of reasons), but at the same time they're often a bit out of my price range. I sew on a very tight budget; I try to buy patterns that can be modified to get more than one use without having a closet full of multiples; I have a very small fabric stash because I try to only buy for specific projects. I’m so thankful that the growth of the Internet has made things from fabric to patterns to notions more widely available. But at the same time, there’s this huge price range among patterns, even among the Big 4. I mean, I bought a pattern a few weeks ago for 99 cents, the suggested price is $16.95, and it’s being sold on Simplicity’s website for $10.15. Even using the lower price, I got it for 90% off – that’s not a discount you see many other places! So I’m just a bit conflicted I guess. I love me a good deal, but I also like the idea of having more variety around and I feel like buying into some of those deals chases the variety away.

I'm really fortunate, my town only has the Hancock fabric, but my taste must be off from my neighbor's, I always make out like a bandit at the sales. My husband is my wingman, I hand off the list and he chases them down like life depends on it. Defeat is not an option! I've never paid more than $3.99 for Vogue.........

As a former Joann's employee I can tell you that the pattern sales are always 3-4 day sales on the weekends. Keep this in mind when looking through the flyer (there is a new mailer and downloadable flyer every 2-3 weeks) - generally the pattern sale will be advertised on a page with like a "super weekend sale."

My understanding, and what I've been told by these "in the know" people about the pattern sales at Joann's, is that they rotate and happen every week or every other week.

The Joann's app is the best thing since sliced bread because I kept on dropping off the mailer. I never buy anything full price - everything was already discounted so I never could use the coupons. But, I did get the 10% off discount card from the ASG, which comes in handy. I get 10% off my entire purchase.

Not sure if this was already said in the previous comments, but you can just go online to Joann's website and enter your zip code. Go to the flyer and type in patterns in the search box. It will tell you which patterns are on sale for that weekend - it's Thursday night through Saturday usually.

Another users of the JoAnne and Hancock websites. I go to the website, find the locate sales flyer and use the search box ("patterns") and I check to see which patterns will be on sale. I'm on their paper and pixel mailing lists, but I searching the sales flyers on the websites works best for me.

I go to fabric land which happens to be five mins from my house on foot! I use the note pad app on my iphone of patterns i want, and when fabric land (here in canada ) send out the emails, i go and stock up ( the ladies there laugh at me when i do this! ) Usually its just simplicty and new look though. i wish there was more of a selection.

I've also had no luck with getting on their mailing list at Jo Ann's...I used to sew about 10 yrs ago and it was the same then. Guess they will never change?? Love the pattern sales and notions and thread sales. A little sick of the fabric selection. I'm thinking of ordering online soon...just for more variety.

There was a recent discussion on PR about the new releases online. I know from empirical experience that they usually follow big online sales.And one member keeps track of this info. In the past 3 years, the new Fall releases came out mid-July. Since they seem to be late this year, let's say first week of August. This means the next big sale ie Vogue for $3.99 should be around late July. We'll see if the pattern holds. Oh, and to answer the question, I follow the Pattern Review thread AND I get the online newsletter (with my Hancock's Adjacent Sewing Aunt's zip code).

I'm a costume designer and go to JoAnns pretty much daily. You can get the mailer, online and phone app adds. The best part about the phone and email coupons is that you can keep reusing them. On my way to and from work, I go by 3 JoAnns and will often hit all of them with the exact same coupon from my phone and email. JoAnns will also allow you to use coupons from Hancock's, Hobby Lobby and Michael's. Hancock's will add match, so if your pattern is out at your JoAnns and you take the add to Hancock's they will match the price.

I went to Vassar and I costumed a lot of theatre -that JoAnn's was my practically my second home. The pizza place across the hall when you walk in has excellent pizza and iced tea! The JoAnn's leaves much to be desired though, unfortunately.

I live in Australia & have a somewhat different problem. Patterns here are EXPENSIVE. Vogue patterns normally retail for $25+Also we're a good 6 months behind the northen hemisphere as far as releases. The only saving grace is when a pattern is out of print & impossible to find online in the states, chances are I can still buy it in store here.

Even so, it drives me nuts, (must be the 'I want it now' Gen Y inside of me). So I'm a Club BMV member. Like almost all the other commenters, I have a running list of patterns I 'need' (want). Whenever I get an email letting me know of a good sale I buy all of the patterns in my list. With shipping it normally only costs me about $30-40. It's definately worth it - though in winter I'm always stressing about whether or not the patterns will arrive on a rainy day.

Maybe someone has said this already, but I noticed a lot of people recommend getting on Joann's email list. I did that a while ago, but the emails never seemed to say if there was a pattern sale (maybe there's a secret to it), and it was pretty impossible to get them to stop sending the emails once I figured out that I can just look at the flyers online.

Try living in Australia.... Vogue patterns here are around $25 full price. So even when there's a sale on, patterns are really expensive.

A friend and I just shared the shipping costs of ordering 7 Vogue patterns online. The shipping was more than the patterns! But it still worked out far cheaper than even getting them on special over here.

We also have a 'Jo-Anns' ... our version is Spotlight. It always has a sale on, and you're a fool to buy anything full price unless you desperately need it NOW. However, the good sales are crazy, we waited over an hour to have our fabric cut at the Easter sale. Was worth it tho!

I've rarely NOT found an on-sale pattern I was looking for in my size at Jo-Ann's sales. And, I think that's because of the Jo-Ann's that I frequent - one of which is the Poughkeepsie Jo-Ann's. Even if I'm not there the first day of the sale, I haven't had much of a problem.

That said, the Poughkeepsie Jo-Ann's is rather depressing - a huge space that's not really as full as one might hope. The Kingston Jo-Ann's has slight more stock (and different stock) but it's actually dirty. Not the fabrics, but the floor - straight up dirt. I don't know why that bugs me but it does. Also, I can never find the trims I want at either.

As for the sales/ coupons, I'm still getting them at two old addresses as well as my current address. So, I can't tell you why you aren't even though you've signed up. The nice thing about the relative lack of appeal about the Poughkeepsie and Kingston JoAnn's stores is that there are usually coupon fliers sitting in stacks by the front door. Something that I've not experienced at the other JoAnn's I've been to.

As others may have said, pattern sales are announced in the fliers mailed to you (and possibly the store fliers you can see on-line but I don't know). JoAnn's believes in advance marketing so, for example, I got the flier that applies to this week/ next weekend over a week ago.

I've noticed that the pattern sale info on the joann flyers is usually very small and in a wierd corner. Like they want for us to work for the deals;) My flyers usually have a small red box that says which patterns are on sale. My joanns doesn't seem to have these every month, every other month seems to be the pattern.

Our local JoAnn's pattern drawers are big disappointments. After searching through catalogues and narrowing it down to your selections, when you go to retrieve patterns, they never have the ones I want in stock or in my size. I gave up on that and buy patterns online.

I enjoy your blog and think you do a great job describing your sewing techniques. The only thing is, I'm not that big on 50's style vintage clothing--which seems to be the styles that appeal to you. Bombshell dresses definitely wouldn't suit my no-cleavage boobs! I love mostly 20's and 30's, some 40's. Amy

These are all great tips! I usually find out about Joann's sales thru the newsletter. However, I have another tip for you--if you live near a Hobby Lobby, they will routinely have 99 cent sales that last a whole week. And...I never have a problem finding ALL the patterns and sizing I want there because I don't think a lot of people know about it. You can check their website once a week to see the updated sales, and even print out a 40% off one regular priced item coupon.

Ooh, very excited about this conversation stream! I, too, watch for sales online and noticed that Kwik Sew went on sale for this particular members-only sale. Yippee!!!! I live in a small town in Canada and Fabricland is just about the only game in town. Patterns only go on sale at F.L. every so often, so I do most of my pattern shopping online. I wait until Club BMV membership goes on sale for $10 to renew. One idea that I didn't notice here: I recently added many patterns to my stash when an acquaintance downsized her stash in anticipation of moving to another province. Estate sales and garage/yard/moving sales can be places to find patterns (and sewing machines, sergers, etc. for that matter) for amazing prices, too, though obviously not the latest releases. You never know what gems you might find. Happy bargain hunting!

I too am one of those people who won't buy a big-4 pattern until it's $.99 at Joann's or $3.00 for Vogue. JoAnn's posts their sales fliers on their website. While you cannot get coupons this way, at least you'll know when the patterns are going on sale. http://joann.shoplocal.com/joannsalesflyer/Default.aspx?action=entry&pretailerid=-99845&siteid=228&storeID=2412326

I find out about the sales by going to Jo-Ann website and searching for the store nearest me. When it pops up I roll over it and the map usually gives me options to vies more info at the store than it tells me all about what's up. Class schedule all of that stuff. Plus it gives you the option to print out a 40-50% off coupon of which I print two and make my bf buy something.

It took me a few tries to get on the mailing list, but it looks like I get a Joann's flyer twice a month now. Looking at the one that i just got today, the next pattern sale is May 11-13 for Mcalls ($1.99) and Vogue ($3.99). The next Butterick ($1.99) is May 17-19. They are due for a Simplicity one soon, there are some patterns that I absolutely NEED!

I buy patterns at Hancock Fabrics. I never pay more than $1.99 for McCalls, Butterick or Simplicity. I never pay more than $3.99 for Vogue and Burda. The one by me in GA just started carrying Burda. But I am in NYC until June and just have not found anywhere to buy patterns here you are right about that.

Hi, I go to school in Poughkeepsie and when I still had a car I went to the Poughkeepsie Joanns all the time. If you scroll through the online sales flyer they often have the dates for the in store sales ahead of time. The selection of fabrics and such in the store is pretty unimpressive, but I thought the pattern selection was pretty good - I could almost always find what I wanted in my size. That said, most of the drawers are incorrectly labeled. The things are there, just not always where they claim to be. There is a cutesy fabric store in Red Hook, but I think it is mainly quilting.

I live just up the street from a Joanns. Very helpful...they know me in there. One thing I've noticed is the brand new or very popular patterns look like they are pulled out when there is a sale. A day or two before the sale, scope this out. Since I'm a regular at my store, I will ask and they usually "can find one in the back."

I live in Australia, and you would all be appalled at the sewing selections there are are here. I used to live in Canada, right along the border, so I know what good can be! You are all soooo lucky! To have pattern sales, to have fabric to choose from, to have more than ONE fabric store in a 1/2 hour radius from your house! And I live IN a populated area too! Sad... :(

I pay $30 for vintage vogue patterns, and rarely get anything but 1-2 dollars off :( I've started to look online, but not many sales online...I usually get used patterns off ebay :(

it took me 2 attempts to finally get added to the joann's mailing list. but once you get the mailers, they are for like 2-3 weeks in advance so you can see all the upcoming sales.and when you don't go for a while they send a "please come back" 20% off your whole purchase coupon. :) but like the others say, be sure to get your mailer scanned while you're at the store to stay on the list. (you made me lol with your "joanns, i want your mail" plea)

You can combine coupons provided they are not expired, apply to regular priced items, and have a unique code. So if I go in to the store with my trailer coupon for 40% on any regular priced item (say pins) thats 1, my trailer coupon for 50% off any by the yard item (say lace) thats 2, printed coupon from the internet (say for fabric)is 3, multiple coupon from the $3 book they sell that 4,n,n...get the idea. Then of course there is the 20% (for seniors or teachers) on total except items with coupons...I think they owe me money for just showing up :)

As to waiting in the parking lot at 9am, I have a better way. :)I go the night before the sale, pick out my patterns and HIDE THEM in a basket in the home dec section. Then I go home and come back the next day, rescue my hidden patterns with no worries about my size selling out before I get there.

I only noticed one comment about the JoAnn's app. I have an Android phone and the app works flawlessly. It allows you to "save" coupons to your "wallet" and the cashier scans your Smartphone. The flyer is available through the app and that's where you'll find what patterns are on sale. Have fun shopping the app! I love it!

I only noticed one comment about the JoAnn's app. I have an Android phone and the app works flawlessly. It allows you to "save" coupons to your "wallet" and the cashier scans your Smartphone. The flyer is available through the app and that's where you'll find what patterns are on sale. Have fun shopping the app! I love it!

Another Aussie girl chiming in to say how jealous I am of your pattern prices in the states! 99c sales? Talk about heaven! The cheapest I've ever seen patterns here is $5 for a New Look pattern, but generally the sale price is around $10 for McCalls, Butterick and Simplicity and $15 for Vogue.

For any other Aussies out there, the best I can recommend is sewingpatterns.com. I've signed up for their newsletter and they often have sales ranging from $2-$8 for the Big Four. The postage is a bit expensive (From memory is about $6 for the first pattern and $2 for ever additional pattern) but it works out even cheaper than any possible sale at Spotlight/Lincraft. Even better if you combine your order with a friend and share the shipping costs!

But I'll admit, now that I know how to draft all my own patterns from scratch, I generally only buy vintage patterns and only if they're under $5 each (unless it's something very special!). It's just way too expensive otherwise!

==================\I have been scanning through the comments, and did not see anyone mention the text messaging option. Sorry if I missed anyone's comment. You can text "Welcome" to 56266, and that will sign you up for text coupons. Joann's will send about three coupons per month that way. Usually it's a 50% of, or a percentage of total purchase thing.

Honestly, i just compulsively check the Joann's sale flyer online once a week on Sunday's. When i see what brand patterns are on sale i go to the pattern site and list EVERY pattern i like, even remotely because most of the time i don't get to Joann's until Friday nights (I'm creepy) and many sell out. I actually put them in vague numerical order on a printed sheet and check them off as i browse the drawers. Last time three different people stopped and asked me if i worked there, i suppose i look organized when hoarding sale patterns? *shrug* It's what works for me.

OMG I can't believe how long I scrolled to get to the comment box! We love you Gertie... THAT's evident. BTW, the big four is really the big ONE... McCalls Pattern company owns all the patterns FYI. And you can go on the site and get patterns on sale and most likely in your size. Not a big Joanne's fan. Miss the independent and smaller fabric stores a LOT.

I used to work for Hancock Fabric, they will generally have patterns go on sale for $1.99 or so (except for Vogue) at least once a month! Their notions go on a good 40% off sale price at least several times a year. For sure around the 4th of July sale.But yeah... I never paid full price for patterns... I can wait! Only once in a Blue Moon did I buy w/out a sale cause I had to make something for someone else right away! Now... I will wait and I'm not going to the fabric store until I need too... gas is too much to be running over there anytime!

I don't frequent JoAnn's as much for patterns because it's far away from my house, but I do frequent Hancock's for patterns. Their sales go by the week. The first week one brand of patterns is on sale usually McCall's or Butterick. Followed up by one of the previously mentioned for the second week. Vogue is usually later in the month. They send me lots o junk mail. I have the same problem with Joann's as you. I signed up and have yet to receive their fliers. I wonder if Joann's pattern sales work like Hancock's with the timing?

Forgive me for not reading all the previous comments to see if anyone mentioned these:

*Once you sign up for the emails/newsletters, you have to have them scan your address barcode to keep getting more, the more you scan them, the better quantity and quality coupons!

*Besides actually looking at the weekly flyer, you can search the wkly flyer on their site, select the brand from the lefthand menu and they will come right up with the deal & what dates it's valid, helpful for notions as well!

*There are lots of ways to become a VIP and get an extra 10% off everything (with a few tiny exceptions), I have a business license so I qualify, my mom is a teacher so she qualifies, if you're in the American Sewing Guild or premium member of patternreview.com, you qualify! This also gets you extra special coupons and deals as well!

I'm going to chime in with the others and suggest you sign up for the mailers. I did it in store and watched the cashier enter my info. It took a few weeks to start arriving, but I don't know what I would do without it. I plan my shopping trips around the sales.

The patterns rotate being on sale and I never buy them unless they are the lowest price. 99 cents for Simplicity, Butterick and McCalls, and $3.99 for Vogue. Occasionally Burda goes on sale too but I don't recall the price for them.

I keep the mailer in my purse just so I don't forget it at home and also a running list of patterns I want to pick up in a small notebook.

Sign up for email alerts.Buy the Sunday Paper.Sign up for the mailing list. In fact, sign up EVERYONE in your household.Download the app for your phone.

Here's why: the coupons from all those can be used TOGETHER. That's right, you can use all four types of coups on the same transaction.

You can see the sale flyer online at Joann.com, by the way.

I'm forever inundated with mail & email from Joann. Serously, I even signed up my husband AND kids so I could get their coupons.

The only reason I can think of that you aren't getting direct mail is that whoever is in charge of entering that info *at the store* is WAY behind. In fact, if you sign up for a class, it automatically puts you on the mailing list.

My secret is to use my phone to take pictures of the patterns I want so when the sale happens, I just load the images and pluck them from the drawers.

I was just sharing my pattern and fabric buying schemes with my dad and husband the other day and felt somewhat embarrasses but also a little bit proud. After reading all these I realize I'm in good company!! Here our Joann store is horribly stocked or else horribly sold out by the time I get there. I NEVER find what I need! Hobby Lobby on the other hand is stocked to the gills. I keep a list of patterns I want and keep an eye on the Sunday weekly sale emails for sales. They often have 99 cent sales. Other than that I will occasionally find a great online sale...anyway, good to know I am not the only sewing sale nerd out there :-)

I kind of do expect to pay full price for patterns and they're rarely on sale at our fabric stores here. As for my buying habits:

I have a wish list on Pattern Review that I monitor and cull consistently. When I've got about 5-7 patterns I really want from 1 brand I wait patiently for a sale at Sewingpatterns.com. Sure the postage is more than the pattern but under $10 is phenominally cheapMy other method of buying is pure imu

I am not a Walmart fan, but the ones by us have fabric dept. with patterns. I have never tried it, but always wondered - if I took the Joann or Hobby Lobby ad for $.99 patterns limit 10 up to the register would they honor the price per their Ad Match? I didn't see anywhere on their website that patterns would be excluded. As long as you have the matched store within a reasonable distance from the Walmart.

I've heard so much about Joaan's ever since I started searching the web for crafting/sewing sites. Wish I had one where I stay. Btw, love your blog, I don't have the courage to sew clothes..... only some small stuff here and there :p

Did you know that McCalls and Butterick patterns have sales on their site? Tonight I bought 4 patterns for $1.48 each. Of course there is a $8 shipping charge(I think same price, no matter how many you buy), but no tax and I didn't have to spend gas to brave our uber busy JoAnns either...

I buy primarily from Vogue, Butterick, and McCall. every few months they put on a big sale. $1-2 for Butterick and McCall and like $3-4 for Vogue. I stock up then. You can get info by signing up for their mailing list.

You go to pattern review Message board--->Patterns and notions--->Pattern salesPattern review Topic 22333 google search might bring it upMy iPad browser doesn't jive with this site otherwise I'd of just pasted the link to the page

Vogue and Butterick patterns are both owned by McCalls. They sell the patterns to independent fabric stores at regular wholesale (so a pattern which is marked as $35.00 is billed to the independents at $17.50). That's EACH. Typical pattern shipment contains maybe 200 patterns, making each box you see coming in the door at an independent a $3500 bill. At the same time new patterns are coming in, old patterns are usually being discontinued. Discontinued patterns cost the independent fabric store ANOTHER 10%. McCall/Vogue/Butterick will not honor the prices they sell online direct to consumers for the independent fabric stores that provide the service, floor space, and counter space to showcase the patterns, nor will they even honor the prices printed on the pattern catalogs at JoAnn stores. Independents are not respected at all by McCall/Vogue/Butterick, however they are needed in order to present the regularly priced patterns while losing money in the process so that McCall/Vogue/Butterick can continue the scam of their pattern pricing. Vogue/Butterick used to be a fine company...

I don't have time to read all the comments...but the ones I have read haven't mentioned this so far. Like others I go online and read the sales fliers before shopping, but also after you've been watching the sales for a while you see a pattern. For example I sew A LOT during the fall/winter season for Christmas plays, halloween costumes etc. and I've discovered that there are different times every year that patterns can predicably go on sale. For instance, Vogue is usually on sale mid-September, and McCalls the last week in October (one just finished yesterday actually) and Simplicity (my personal go-to) is usually good about an early fall sale and then one right before or right after Black Friday in November. This has been true for at least six or so years in my experience. Though some of the dates shift a little, I know a general time and start looking for the ads and patterns I want in those weeks.